Gardeners Purley Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Purley collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data relating to our customers and prospective customers. It also explains your rights under applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Purley customers and potential customers in our service area.

Who we are and scope of this policy

Gardeners Purley is a gardening and grounds maintenance service provider operating in the local area. In the course of providing our services, we act as a data controller in relation to the personal data of our customers. This Privacy Policy covers all personal data that we process in connection with enquiries, quotations, bookings, and the provision of gardening services to residential and commercial customers in our service area.

Types of personal data we collect

We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The main types of personal data we may collect are:

Identification and contact details such as name, postal address, billing address, property address where services are carried out, and other basic contact details needed to communicate with you.

Service and contract details such as information about your garden or outdoor space, access instructions, service preferences, schedules, past services provided, quotations, and contract terms.

Payment and billing information such as billing history, payment status, and basic transaction details. Card and bank details are handled only through our chosen payment processors, and we do not store full payment card details on our own systems.

Communication records such as emails, messages, notes of telephone conversations, and details of enquiries, feedback, and complaints.

Marketing and preference information such as whether you wish to receive marketing communications from us and your preferred communication channels.

Technical data where you visit our online pages, which may include device and browser information and basic usage data necessary to operate and secure our online presence.

How we collect your personal data

We may collect your personal data in the following ways:

Directly from you when you contact us to request a quotation, make an enquiry, book a service, or otherwise communicate with us.

During service visits where our team records information needed to provide or improve the services, such as access arrangements or property layout details relevant to the work.

From publicly available sources where necessary to confirm address details or business contact information.

From third party service providers that assist with payments, scheduling, or communication, to the extent they share information necessary for us to perform our contract with you or to manage our business.

Lawful bases for processing your data

We only process your personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

Performance of a contract. We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into, or perform, a contract for gardening services with you. This includes handling enquiries, issuing quotations, scheduling work, and managing payments.

Legitimate interests. We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining accurate records, improving our services, managing our relationship with you, and protecting our business from fraud or misuse.

Legal obligations. We process certain data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as tax, accounting, and record keeping obligations.

Consent. In some cases, such as certain types of marketing communications, we rely on your consent. Where we rely on consent, you are free to withdraw it at any time, and we will stop that particular processing.

How we use your personal data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries, provide quotations, and communicate with you about potential and existing services.

To plan, schedule, and deliver gardening and maintenance services at your property.

To manage our relationship with you, including handling feedback, responding to questions or complaints, and coordinating repeat or ongoing services.

To process payments, issue invoices, manage accounts, and maintain financial records.

To administer our business operations, including internal reporting, quality control, and staff training.

To send you information about our services or promotions where we have your consent or a lawful basis to do so, and to respect your marketing preferences.

To meet legal and regulatory requirements and to cooperate with regulatory or law enforcement authorities where required.

Data sharing and processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share your data with carefully selected third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These processors are only permitted to process your personal data in accordance with our instructions and for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Categories of processors we may use include:

Payment processors that handle card or electronic payments and related fraud prevention and security measures.

IT and cloud service providers that host our systems, store our data securely, or support our customer management and communication tools.

Accounting and business support services that assist with invoicing, record keeping, and financial administration.

Professional advisers where necessary, such as legal or tax advisers, strictly for the purposes of providing professional services to us.

Where processors are located outside the UK or the European Economic Area, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that your data is protected in line with applicable data protection laws, for example by using suitable contractual safeguards.

Data retention and storage

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

In general, we apply the following retention guidelines:

Customer and service records are typically kept for the duration of our relationship with you and for a period after the end of the relationship to handle any queries, disputes, or legal requirements.

Financial and invoicing records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.

Marketing data is kept for as long as you continue to engage with our marketing communications or until you withdraw your consent or object.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it or anonymise it so that it can no longer be linked to you.

Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include limiting access to data to staff and processors who need it to perform their roles, using secure systems and storage solutions, and regularly reviewing our security practices. While we strive to protect your personal data, no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed as completely secure.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection laws, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply subject to certain conditions and exemptions. Your main rights include:

Right of access. You can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

Right to rectification. You can ask us to correct or complete any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected or where you withdraw consent and there is no other legal basis for processing.

Right to restriction. You can request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, such as while we are resolving a query about its accuracy or our use of it.

Right to object. You can object to the processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests as our lawful basis, including for direct marketing purposes.

Right to data portability. Where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may be entitled to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine readable format and to request that it is transmitted to another controller.

Right to withdraw consent. Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before you withdraw consent.

How to exercise your rights and complaints

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, or if you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the details provided on our main information channels. We will respond to your request in line with applicable legal timeframes.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you are concerned about how your personal data is being handled. We would, however, welcome the opportunity to address your concerns directly in the first instance.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, how we process personal data, or legal and regulatory developments. Any updates will take effect when the revised Privacy Policy is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.